Sealed container for dispensing a volatile product

ABSTRACT

The invention contemplates a swivel-action container for a paste or the like solid or viscous product having a volatile ingredient. Swivel-action propulsion is achieved by relative rotation of an actuator part and a body part, both of which coact with a product carrier to selectively propel or repel the product via the dispensing end of the container. Full circumferentially continuous seals are achieved between the actuator and body parts, regardless of the extent of product propulsion, and a closure cap for the dispensing end of the body part has circumferentially continuous preloaded sealed engagement to the body part, upon removable snap-engaged assembly thereto. All seal actions are achieved under interference-fit conditions between molded-plastic parts having a degree of compliant deformation to assure seal integrity.

United States Patent r191 Idee et al.

[ SEALED CONTAINER FOR DISPENSING A VOLATILE PRODUCT [75] Inventors: Eric J. ldec. Cheshire; Edward F.

Klimeck, Waterbury; Francis G. Marshall, Meriden. all of Conn.

[73] Assignee: Eyelet Specialty Co., Inc.,

Wallingford, Conn.

22 Filed: Dec. 30, 1974 21 Appl.No.:537,430

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1.548.336 10/1968 France 401/75 Sept. 23, 1975 Primary E.taminerLawrence Charles Attorney. Agent, or FirmHopgood. Calimafde. Kalil, Blaustein & Lieberman ABSTRACT The invention contemplates a swivel-action container for a paste or the like solid or viscous product having a volatile ingredient. Swivel-action propulsion is achieved by relative rotation of an actuator part and a body part, both of which coact with a product carrier to selectively propel or repel the product via the dispensing end of the container. Full circumfercntially continuous seals are achieved between the actuator and body parts. regardless of the extent of product propulsion, and a closure cap for the dispensing end of the body part has circumferentially continuous preloaded sealed engagement to the body part. upon removable snap-engaged assembly thereto. All seal actions are achieved under interference-fit conditions between molded-plastic parts having a degree of compliant deformation to assure seal integrity.

13 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures SEALED CONTAINER FOR DISPENSING A VOLATILE PRODUCT The invention relates to seal, structure for propelrepel containers, wherein it is important to assure fidel ity of vapor seal against loss of one or more volatile ingredients of a product to be selectively dispensed, from time to time, as desired. Products of the characterindicated are solid stick, paste or viscous cosmetic or other compositions for personal use; certain adhesive products have similar requirements.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved structure of the character indicated.

Another object is to provide such a structure without adding to the number of parts required for an unsealed or for a lesssealed container of the same general nature. f

A specific object is to provide a three-piece rotary container meeting the above objects with all-plastic construction and inherently capable of accepting poured filling with viscous product, i.e., specifically avoiding any need .to pre-cast the product prior to loading the same into the container.

Another specific object is to meet the above objects with seal structure which is yieldably adaptable to a range of minor misalignments of the parts, particularly as such misalignments might otherwise affect smoothness of rotary action.

Other objects and various further features of novelty and invention will be pointed out or will occur to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In said drawings. which show, for illustrative purposes only, a preferred form of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation, showing a container of the invention, with its closure cap partlyremoved and partly broken-away and in longitudinal section;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view in perspective toshow two of the three parts of the propulsion mechanism for the container of FIG. I; 7

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary viewin longitudinal section, to illustrate the cap-to-eontainer fit, for the structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in lon-, gitudinal section, to show the interfit of body and actuatorparts of FIG. 1; and

FIG. Sis a fragmentary view in perspective, showing the lower or closure-wall end of the body part of the container of FIG. I.

In the drawings, the invention is shown in application to a three-part container. comprising an elongate tubular body part 10, an actuator part I l, and a carrier part 12, each of these parts being single-piece injectionmolded plastic article ofsiatable lo -friction material, such as polypropylene. and having a degree of compli ant ClCfOI'ITTLIhIlII}. The body part 10 has an elongate eylindrical bore l3 which is open at the upper or produi, t- I dispensing end, and a closure wall 14 is centrally apcr;

with carrier part 12, and one or more peripheral. notches 20 in the carrier have keyedcngagement with (Ill one or more elongate ribs 21 in the bore 13, to enable carrier propulsion upon relative rotation of parts 10-11. The product 22 is a stick of material which maybe solid or highly viscous at room temperatures and which contains one or more volatile ingredients which are effectively hermetically sealed as long as the container is closed.

The invention is featured by plural self-sealing engagements of theidescribed parts, i.e., no additional parts are required. At the dispensing end, the sealed fit is circumferentially continuous, between a bead 24 forming part of the reduced end 18 and a groove 25 in the bore of cap '17, the latter being of greater thickness at its lower lip 26 (in axial overlap with groove 25), to provide such additional body as will enhance its resistance to circumferential growth, i.e., to assure a basis for relatively strong application of hoop tension, in a compressional loading of the bead-to-groove sealing engagement 24-25. Preferably, the groove 25 is characterized by a circulararc section, the are being of a first radius about a center having a first axial offset from the lip end of cap 17. Preferably also, bead 24 is characterized by a circular-arc section, the are. being ofa second radius which is less than said first radius and is about a center having a second axial offset from shoulder 19 of the body part 10, and the second axial offset being less than the first, to the extent of at least the difference between the two radii. The circular locus of centers from which the second-radius arcs are struck is also preferably of at least the radius of the circular locus of centers from which the first-radius arcs are struck. The net result is to produce an initial interference-fit relation between bead 24 and a preferably chamfered inside edge 27 of the cap lip. Forced axial assembly transiently compressionally deforms the compliant bead region of body end 18, with accompanying hoop-tensed transient compliant expansion of lip 26. until cap overlap with the bead offset A, at which time bead 24 is cammed into resiliently loaded sealing engagement with the lower part of groove 25. Under these conditions, the centers of the first and second sectional arcs are offset to an extent B which is at least equal to and preferably exceeds the difference. between these sec tional radii. Continued seal effectiveness is assured by the indicated dimensional relationships, the seal being circumferentially continuous and loaded by axial com prcssion of the lip region 27 reacting against axial ten sion over the span A of the reduced end 18; at the same time, cap 17 is always readily disengagcable by applying an off-axis radial force to its upper or closed end, a diametrically opposite locale of the lip region 26 serving as a fulcrum for forcing a gradual disengagement of the sealed locking formations 24-25.

Directing attention now to the actuable elements of the container, the threaded stem 16 is shown with lefthand thread engagement to a similarly threaded central boss or sleex e 2) which will be understood to he formed integrally with the otherwise closed bottom of the carrier part 12. The carrier part 12 is thus an annular cup into which the product material is poured when filling the container, the fit of carrier 12 being so close to the bore 13 that product filling may be extended the full height of'bore 13., above the lowermost carrier position.

The closure wall 14 of body part 10 is preferably characterized by a radially inward flange 39 at the central opening for stem 16 and its base 15, such flange 30 being at the upper end of a frusto-conical wall 31 having a relatively great axial extent and thusat an angle of preferably less than 45 to the central axis. Integrally suspended from the upper end of wall 31 is a relatively thin cylindrical seal sleeve 32, having a plurality of Iongitudinal stiffening ribs 32' at angularly spaced locations. Sleeve 32 is preferably so thin as to assure constant circumferentially continuous sealed conformance to two axially spaced seal beads 33 at the lower end of the stern region 15, the thickness-being designated C, in the order of 0.020 to 0.025 inch; and flange 30 has a snapped-in permanently locked fit to a circumferential locking groove 34 above the seal beads 33. For ease of stem assembly to the bore of wall 14, at flange 30, a first frustoconical cam surface 35 is provided between threads 16 and the shoulder defined by the upper wall of groove 34, and a second frusto-conical cam surface 36 is provided between groove 34 and the bead region 33. Preferably, dimensions are selected for assurance of at least some interference (e.g., 0.001 to 0.005 inch) between beads 33 and the bore of sleeve 32, and the axial separation of bead 33 contacts with sleeve 32 is at least as great as the minimum thickness of the frusto-conical part 31 of wall 14.

Still further sealing effectiveness and constancy of light torsional friction resistance to rotary action are achieved by providing at least one axially extending circumferential bead near the radially outer limit of overlap between the cylindrical body 10 and the handle or base 38 of actuator 11. As shown, two such beads 39-40 are provided as integral formations in body part 10, the same being concentric, radially spaced, and axially loaded into constant riding contact upon the flat upper surface of the actuator base 38. Axial loading of this engagement is assured by forming the upper shoulder of groove 34 at an axial offset Dfrom the flat upper surface of the actuator base 38, which axial offset is slightly less than that between the upper limit of flange 30 and the beads 39-40. With this difference in offsets selected in the range of 0.001 to 0.010 inch, an adequate constant axial loading is achieved. for injectionmolded parts of the indicated materials, and on the scale of a 0.8-inch diameter container.

The described container will be seen to have achieved all stated objects. No further parts are re quired and all parts are injection-molded and thus lend themselves to precision massproduction. All seals are compliantly loaded and circumferentially continuous. And it it should be desired to employ a grease or other like sealant at rotated engagements. the nature of doublebead relations at 33 and at 39-40 is such that lubricant is retained in the space between the double beads. Should the stem portions 1516 be other than purely perpendicular to the flat upper surface of the actuator base 38, the nature of sleeve 32 and its suspension from the conical wall 31 are such that it is self-adapting to the angular offset as it is gyrated in the course of actuator rotation.

While the invention has been described in detail for a preferred form. it will be understood that modifications may be made without departure from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A swivel-action dispensing container for a paste product having volatile ingredients, comprising a moldedplastic tubular container body having a cylindrical borewithin a body wall and open at one end, said body having a closure wall formation comprising a relatively thin-walled seal sleeve concentric within the cylindrical bore and a compliant frusto-conical wall integrally connecting one end of said sleeve to said body wall, whereby said seal sleeve has a degree of compliant yieldability as to its axis orientation with respect to the bore axis, a molded-plastic actuator comprising a bearing portion rotatably received in the sleeve region of said closure wall and integrally including (a) an elon gate threaded stem projecting upward with the bore and (12) an externally exposed actuating base, said bearing portion including two circumferentially continuous seal beads having slight interference-fit relation with the bore of said sleeve, a carrier threaded to said threaded portion and having a periphery in guided relation with said body bore, elongate key means coaeting between said body bore and said carrier for preventing carrier rotation within said body bore, and a removable closure cap having snap-sealing engagement with the open end of said body wall.

2. The container of claim 1, in which said two seal beads are axially spaced and of like radial extent.

3. The container of claim 1, in which said two seal beads are axially spaced to an extent which exceeds the thickness of said sleeve.

4. The container of claim 3, in which the outer surface of said sleeve includes a plurality of angularly spaced longitudinal stiffening ribs which extend at least in axial overlap of the span of bead interference contact with the sleeve bore.

5. The container of claim 4, in which said ribs extend to the location of sleeve suspension by said frustoconical wall.

6. The container of claim 1, in which said frustoconical wall extends upwardly and inwardly from the lower end of said body wall, said sleeve projecting downwardly in its suspension from said frusto-conical wall.

7. The container of claim 6, in which the sleevesuspension limit of said frusto-conical wall includes a circumferentially continuous radially inward retaining flange, said bearing portion of said actuator having a circumferential groove engaged to said flange.

8. The container of claim 7, in which said actuating base and said body wall have radially overlapping circumferentially continuous adjacent surface formations, the axial locations of said flange and groove being such to assure a light axially preloaded interference contact of said adjacent surface formations for the engaged relation of said flange and groove.

9. The container of claim 8, in which said surface formations include atleast one circumferentially continuous axially extending bead on the lower axial end of said body wall, the same being axially preloaded into contact with said actuating base for the engaged relation of said flange and stem.

10. The container ofclaim 9, in which said axially extending head is one of two concentric radially spaced beads projecting axially into concurrent preloaded contact with said actuating base.

11. The container ofclaim 1, in which the outer surface of said body wallhas a radially inward shoulder near the open end and a reduced neck portion extending to said open end. and a circumferentially continuous bead projecting radially outward at a location axially offset from said sl'ioulder. said cap having a bore with an interference fit to said head and said bore having a bead-receiving groove so spaced from the lower from said shoulder, said first offset exceeding said sec- 0nd offset.

' 13. The container of claim 12, in which the arcuate groove radius exceeds the arcuate bead radius, and in which the extent to which said first offset exceeds said second offset is greater than the extent to which said groove radius exceeds said bead radius. 

1. A swivel-action dispensing container for a paste product having volatile ingredients, comprising a moldedplastic tubular container body having a cylindrical bore within a body wall and open at one end, said body having a closure-wall formation comprising a relatively thin-walled sEal sleeve concentric within the cylindrical bore and a compliant frusto-conical wall integrally connecting one end of said sleeve to said body wall, whereby said seal sleeve has a degree of compliant yieldability as to its axis orientation with respect to the bore axis, a molded-plastic actuator comprising a bearing portion rotatably received in the sleeve region of said closure wall and integrally including (a) an elongate threaded stem projecting upward with the bore and (b) an externally exposed actuating base, said bearing portion including two circumferentially continuous seal beads having slight interference-fit relation with the bore of said sleeve, a carrier threaded to said threaded portion and having a periphery in guided relation with said body bore, elongate key means coacting between said body bore and said carrier for preventing carrier rotation within said body bore, and a removable closure cap having snap-sealing engagement with the open end of said body wall.
 2. The container of claim 1, in which said two seal beads are axially spaced and of like radial extent.
 3. The container of claim 1, in which said two seal beads are axially spaced to an extent which exceeds the thickness of said sleeve.
 4. The container of claim 3, in which the outer surface of said sleeve includes a plurality of angularly spaced longitudinal stiffening ribs which extend at least in axial overlap of the span of bead interference contact with the sleeve bore.
 5. The container of claim 4, in which said ribs extend to the location of sleeve suspension by said frusto-conical wall.
 6. The container of claim 1, in which said frustoconical wall extends upwardly and inwardly from the lower end of said body wall, said sleeve projecting downwardly in its suspension from said frusto-conical wall.
 7. The container of claim 6, in which the sleevesuspension limit of said frusto-conical wall includes a circumferentially continuous radially inward retaining flange, said bearing portion of said actuator having a circumferential groove engaged to said flange.
 8. The container of claim 7, in which said actuating base and said body wall have radially overlapping circumferentially continuous adjacent surface formations, the axial locations of said flange and groove being such as to assure a light axially preloaded interference contact of said adjacent surface formations for the engaged relation of said flange and groove.
 9. The container of claim 8, in which said surface formations include at least one circumferentially continuous axially extending bead on the lower axial end of said body wall, the same being axially preloaded into contact with said actuating base for the engaged relation of said flange and stem.
 10. The container of claim 9, in which said axially extending bead is one of two concentric radially spaced beads projecting axially into concurrent preloaded contact with said actuating base.
 11. The container of claim 1, in which the outer surface of said body wall has a radially inward shoulder near the open end and a reduced neck portion extending to said open end, and a circumferentially continuous bead projecting radially outward at a location axially offset from said shoulder, said cap having a bore with an interference fit to said bead and said bore having a bead-receiving groove so spaced from the lower end of said cap that bead engagement in said groove develops a resultant axial compression of said cap against said shoulder.
 12. The container of claim 11, in which the groove surface is of radial section that is arcuate about a center having a first axial offset from the open end of said cap, and in which the bead surface is of radial section that is arcuate about a center having a second axial offset from said shoulder, said first offset exceeding said second offset.
 13. The container of claim 12, in which the arcuate groove radius exceeds the arcuate bead radius, and in which the extent to which said first offset exceeds said second offsEt is greater than the extent to which said groove radius exceeds said bead radius. 